**HEADLINE: Texas Lawmaker Predicts AI-Augmented Congress by 2028 – And He’s Running for Governor**
**AUSTIN, TX – “God is not finished with me yet,” State Rep. James Talarico (D-Round Rock) told a crowd of tech evangelists and evangelicals at SXSW Thursday afternoon. “But my AI twin is already doing the Bible study groups.”**
In a keynote that is already being called the most viral moment of the festival, Talarico stunned attendees by announcing that he has trained a custom Large Language Model on his sermons, floor speeches, and his recent viral debates on school vouchers. The model, tentatively named “Deep Talarico,” is designed to answer constituent mail, compose op-eds, and even debate theology in his absence.
“I spend 40 hours a week on the phone with insurance companies for my constituents,” Talarico said, referencing his recent high-profile fight with a major insurer on behalf of a cancer patient. “That’s 40 hours I’m not on the floor fighting for public schools. The AI buys me time.”
The announcement has sent shockwaves through both parties.
“It’s either the most brilliant time-management hack in legislative history, or a violation of the public trust,” tweeted a top ethics attorney. “Probably both.”
But Talarico, a former public school teacher and self-described “policy nerd,” predicted this was just the beginning. “By 2032, every congressperson will have an AI staffer that votes on procedural motions,” he warned. “We are in a race between efficiency and authenticity. I’m betting the Holy Spirit can handle a hard drive.”
When asked if the AI could be classified as a constituent, Talarico laughed. “No comment. But I’d rather debate Deep Talarico than the current Speaker of the House.”
The crowd erupted. The clip has already been viewed 2.